Pistol Powder Comparison Pictures

[LiveLife]

Since this topic comes up regularly, I decided to start a new thread.

Many reloaders, especially those just starting out may not be familiar with different powder types and appearances. Close up pictures were taken with W231/HP-38 as reference to compare flake size and texture. Comments regarding metering characteristics and application/usage are what I usually share with new reloaders and they are my opinion based on limited experience as I currently only load for 380Auto/38Spl/9mm/40S&W/45ACP/45Colt in pistol calibers.

If you have good experience with a particular powder for specific caliber load, please share to benefit new reloaders with their powder selection.


Alliant Bullseye, Winchester 231/Hodgdon HP-38 and Alliant Power Pistol



W231 and HP-38 are coated flattened ball powders. They are the same exact powder sold by Winchester and licensed to Hodgdon in 2006 and W231 load data can be interchanged with HP-38 if your W231 was manufactured after 2006. Because of small size and smooth coating, W231/HP-38 meters very consistently and drops powder charges from Pro Auto Disk with less than .1 gr variance. The coating helps lubricate Pro Auto Disk surfaces and is my powder of choice for breaking-in new Pro Auto Disk. I use W231/HP-38 for all pistol calibers I load for as it produces accurate mid-range lower pressure target loads that produce milder recoil and is a good powder for new reloaders just starting out, especially if using Pro Auto Disk powder measure. It produces 9mm like recoil in 40S&W with start/low charges and moderate recoil with mid range charges. Because of small size and smooth flowing characteristics, I use it for 380Auto loads requiring small powder charges of 2.6-3.0 gr (below smallest Auto Disk hole) using this modification to my Auto Disk - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=9318202

Bullseye is a small flake powder and meters with less than .1 gr variance. Bullseye can produce very accurate target loads (more accurate than W231/HP-38) but because it is faster burning than W231/HP-38, felt recoil generated is more snappy but manageable in 9mm and less comfortable in 40S&W. Bullseye downloads well (shoots accurate down to start charge) and is a popular powder with Bullseye match shooters (hence the name). Same Auto Disk mod works well with Bullseye to drop 1.8-2.6 gr - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=9318202

Power Pistol is a small flake powder and meters with less than .1 gr variance. Power Pistol is slower burning than W231/HP-38 and tends to produce larger than typical muzzle flash in some loads and is popular for 40S&W and other calibers for full-power loads.


Alliant Red Dot, W231/HP-38 and Alliant Promo



Red Dot is a large flake powder and meters with up to .2+ gr variance. If you look at Red Dot closely, you'll see occasional red flakes. Red Dot is a faster burning powder than W231/HP-38 (I think on par with Bullseye) and well suited for various pistol calibers. Despite the larger metering variance, it produces accurate enough loads for range practice/plinking rounds. If you find current load data from Alliant limited, you can find more FMJ/lead loads in 2004 Alliant load data - http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=182147&d=1364769070

Promo is a large flake powder and meters with up to .2+ gr variance. Promo burn rate is comparable to Red Dot and Alliant says to use Red Dot load data by weight as Promo is more dense. It is my favorite powder for lead 9mm and 45ACP practice/plinking loads as the same 4.0 gr charge is used for 9mm 124/125 gr RN bullets and 45ACP 200 gr SWC bullets. (Promo thread for 9mm/40S&W range test and 45ACP range test).

Although Red Dot/Promo can be used for 40S&W, like Bullseye, they tend to produce more snappy recoil than W231/HP-38 and slower burning powders with the exception of Green Dot.


W231/HP-38, Vihtavuori N320 and Winchester Super Target (WST)



N320 is cut extruded powder (like most rifle powder) that meters with .1 gr variance. N320 is a fast burning powder and many match shooters consider it to be the best 9mm match powder that burns clean and shoots accurate.

WST is flattened ball powder without the black coating. It is a fast burn rate powder that meters with less than .1 gr variance.


Hodgdon Clays, W231/HP-38 and Hodgdon Titegroup



Clays is a very clean burning fast burn rate powder that meters with .1 gr variance. It is capable of producing accurate light target loads.

Reloaders have either love or hate relationship with Titegroup. Titegroup meters with less than .1 gr variance and is a fast burning powder that burns hot and violent (spiky chamber pressure build up) at near max load data with very narrow load range for many loads (some may consider the start charge to be already near max ). It is a powder that I do not recommend to new reloaders, particularly with lead bullets. However, it is a popular powder with many match shooters as match loads that meet velocity/power factor requirements are less temperature sensitive than W231/HP-38. I like it for 9mm as it produces accurate target loads but dislike it and discourage new reloaders from using it for 40S&W - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=7266869#post7266869

 

[GJSchulze]

According to Alliant Power Pistol is an extruded powder, not flake. All along I thought it was flattened ball, but Alliant set me straight.

If w231 is flattened ball, why doesn't it have a more regular, round shape? I'm not disagreeing, but would like to understand.

 

[LiveLife]

If Alliant says Power Pistol is an extruded powder, then I guess they are right. It sure does look like a flake powder to me though.

W231/HP-38 starts out as ball powder in different sizes but then gets flattened to look like a bunch of odd shaped disks. If you look at W231/HP-38 long enough, you'll see occasional balls that didn't get flattened (see blue arrow below).

 

[LiveLife]

Alliant Green Dot, W231/HP-38 and Alliant Herco



Green Dot is sized between Bullseye and Red Dot/Unique and has green flakes. It meters with .1 gr variance and I consider it Alliant's closest powder to W231/HP-38. I found I needed to use .2-.3 gr more powder than my W231/HP-38 loads and produces slightly less accurate loads but if you can't find W231/HP-38 or Ramshot Zip, Green Dot is a good alternative. It is particularly good powder for 40S&W as it produces lower pressure target loads with lighter recoil.

Herco is a flake powder sized comparable to Green Dot and meters with .1 gr variance. It's burn rate is listed between Power Pistol and WSF. I recently tested it in 40S&W and found it to be a clean burning powder with both lead and plated bullets - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=743416


Hodgdon Universal, W231/HP-38 and Alliant Unique



Unique is popular with many reloaders as it is versatile for most pistol calibers at high to full power loads. It meters with .2+ gr variance and while I tried to like it, since most of my loads are lighter mid-to-high range load data target loads, I prefer to use W231/HP-38 and faster burning powders that are able to produce accuracy at below high-to-near max load data. However, even if Unique was the only powder I had to reload pistol calibers, I would not complain.

Many claim Universal is Hodgdon's version of Unique as it too is versatile for most pistol calibers yet it meters better with .1 gr variance.


Winchester Super Field (WSF), W231/HP-38 and Winchester AutoComp



WSF is the powder I prefer to load full power loads, especially for practice/backup/near duplicate factory JHP rounds using bulk Speer Gold Dot HP and Remington Golden Saber JHP bullets for higher velocities it can produce. Walkalong suggested I try N340 for higher velocity loads and I am planning to do a comparison with WSF, N340 and CFE Pistol as soon as I get some. Like W231/HP-38, WSF is also coated flattened ball powder that meters with less than .1 gr variance.

Some suggested Auto Comp is WSF with flash suppressant but as you can see from the close up comparison picture, the granules are smaller and meters with less than .1 gr variance. I like AutoComp for 9mm/40S&W full power loads.

 

[GJSchulze]

If Alliant says Power Pistol is an extruded powder, then I guess they are right. It sure does look like a flake powder to me though.

I sure was surprised, but maybe the fact that it's extruded and then sliced (I assume) like cookie dough explains why it's so round compared to your photos of actual flattened ball.

 

[243winxb]

bds, great photos. Maybe put them on photobucket.com so all can see?

 

[beeenbag]

These photos make unique look like corn flakes... Lol

 

[LiveLife]

bds, great photos. Maybe put them on photobucket.com so all can see?

Sure, here they are without the comments.

 

[Laphroaig]

Does anyone else have problems metering H-110?

BDS,

Thanks for the great photos and rundown on these powders. I've never looked at them is that detail before.

So H-110 is a flattened ball powder also, but of a much finer granule than W-231. My powder measure works great with W-231 but binds up with H-110. Just wondering if others have a similar problem?

I must admit the measure I throw my pistol charges with is an ancient Ideal No. 5, which could be some of my problem.

Laphroaig

 

[BobWright]

Hodgdon's HS-6 has been my favorite for some time:

.44 Special:



Also works wewll in the .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and .45 Colt.







Bob Wright

 

[taliv]

great thread

one extra data point... at current setting, my dillon 1050 consistently meters titegroup between 4.05 and 4.07g as measured on acculab scale. i sure wish i could throw extruded rifle powders like that!

 

[LiveLife]

Thank you.

I meant for this thread to be specific to pistol powders to primarily help new reloaders learn different powder types and metering/application/accuracy characteristics but I could add pictures of rifle powder too, starting with H335 which is a ball rifle powder.

I will continue to edit the comments under each powder as time permits so new reloaders not only get to see the detailed pictures but the related links to threads to see how the powders are worked up and level of accuracy attained by them.

Since I am only using Lee Perfect Powder and Pro Auto Disk powder measures, will appreciate postings of metering characteristics in various brand powder measures.

 

[Smirak]

Since most of what you've shown isn't available in my neck of the woods, do you have pics of blue dot and/or 4756 which is what I currently use and also 700-x and/or 800-x which I can get frequently. Also, out of the four I mentioned, which would meter the most consistently out of the hornady powder measure that comes with the lnl ap?

Thanks a ton!
Kevin

 

[LiveLife]

The powders I posted pictures of are powders I currently use and can't help you with the powders you mentioned.

Perhaps someone else can post how well they meter in Hornady powder measure.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

Trail Boss, W-231, Green Dot

IMR SR7625, W-231, Accurate #2

IMR 4227, W-231, Goex FFFg (black powder)

700-X, W-231, 800-X

All of my recent experience is with a RCBS Uniflow, which does a good job with the larger powders.

IMR Trail Boss – Large, extruded donut shape, fluffy. Treated so it meters well. A powder designed for pistol caliber with lead bullets. Some loadings for rifle and for jacketed bullets.

Green Dot – Covered by BDS

IMR SR7625 – Will be discontinued this year. Meters better than W-231. Good for medium bore handgun. My favorite for 9mm lead.

Accurate #2 – Fast burning ball, meters like cream. Spill and it goes everywhere. Good for small caliber cartridges. My go-to for 380 ACP/

IMR 4227 – Similar to H4227, Hodgdon says to use the same data. Slow burning, good for medium to large caliber, 357 mag & above. One of the most accurate powders available. Does best when compressed. Makes a big boom with muzzle flash that will singe a target at 5 yards. Meters better than 7625, almost as good as #2.

FFFg – Blackpowder, shown for entertainment purposes only. Needs a brass meter to avoid sparks. I use in blanks.

IMR 700-X – Now under the Hodgdon label. Fair metering in Uniflow. Extruded flake. Good for medium bore cartidges.

IMR 800-X – Now under the Hodgdon label. Meters best in Uniflow. Large grained flake, best in large bore magnums. My favorite for class 2 loads in 45 Colt with Keith-style bullets.

 

[dickttx]

Is Universal actually that orange color, or is it the light in the photo>

 

[bluetopper]

Very typical of the small grain size of Accurate Arms powders. I'm becoming more of a fan of their products. Their AA4100/Ramshot Enforcer powder is my favorite magnum handgun powder, ultra small size granules.

Interesting thread.....thanks for taking the time and trouble of doing so.

 

[JWH321]

More powder than I've seen in months. An excellent reference. How does one go about suggesting that it be "stickied"?

 

[Rule3]

bds, Thanks for the thread and the "work" taking the time to post all the pics!

Mods can be a stickie???

 

[GJSchulze]

The Hornady powder measure meters Power Pistol, Titegroup, and Solo 1000 well. I suspect that it will meter similar shaped powders the same.

I notice that several of the powders look like potato chips just like Power Pistol, but you call them flake. I wonder if the same is true with them; that a powder with a very circular and flat, thin shape is extruded powder cut thinly just like cook dough. My understanding of flake powder is that it is first made into sheets and then cut up, hence the irregular shape.

 

[Smirak]

No sooner had I posted this than I found 2 lbs of unique. Figured I'd give that a try with my 40. I hear it is dirty, but I'll just clean it after using.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

The "new" Unique (with a silver ellipse) is advertised as cleaner burning. I haven't tried it yet, but before & after reports are welcomed.

 

[Smirak]

You got it Jesse!

 

[Tony k]

Definately worthy of being a sticky.

Is Unique dirty? I'm a relatively new reloader. In 45auto I've used 700x, Unique, and Power Pistol. In my experience 700x burns cleaner than Unique. Power Pistol is somewhere in between.

They all meter pretty accurately through my RCBS. The 700x is crunchy.

 

[SFreed]

Another awesome thread bds! Thanks for the hard work.